Hi....just found this site. I have NSCLC. I was diagnosed in Aug. of 2004. I had been complaining of pain in my shoulder blade for awhile and nothing showed up on x-ray. So, he had a CT scan done. Friday night at 5 pm he calls me at home and says "you have lung cancer"...as most (or probably) all of you know those are the most heart wrenching words anybody can hear. I had a needle biopsy that confirmed andiocarcinoma in my upper right lung. After having every test in the world (or so it seemed), I had surgery on October 20, 2004. My right upper lobe was removed along with parts of ribs that the cancer had eroded in to. I have a huge scar running all the way down my back and around to the front under my right breast. I guess I was doing okay for two days (I don't remember a thing), when they called my family to come in. My lung had collapsed and I had pneumonia. I was not doing well on ventilator I am told, so they eventually had to do a tracheostomy. I was in the ICU for 45 days and spent 2 weeks in rehab. My surgeon said he got it all and no need for chemo. I did not have a very good Onc., because no one from his office contacted me. What did I know about cancer? I just went by what my surgeon said. So, when I went for 6 month CT scan, it had mets to my adrenal gland. I now had stage IV. Had I gone to my Onc. I would probably had received chemo before it got that far. To make a long story short, I got a second Oncologist that is very well known in our area and he has taken excellent care of me. I had chemo once every 3 weeks for 6 cycles. This past July I had a PET and I am currently in remission. Thank God. I go back for another PET next month.
I like talking to others who have been through this, and help where I can, and get much needed advice when I need it. Take care and God bless you all.